Maxine Peake fronts clothing poverty campaign in Manchester as Chanel comes to town

Actress Maxine Peake is fronting a campaign, in partnership with homeless charity Lifeshare, to raise awareness of clothing poverty in Manchester as luxury house Chanel arrives in town to present its annual Métiers D'Art show.

Titled, The A/W23 Collection by Lifeshare, the campaign, which was shot by celebrated photographer Rankin, will be staged alongside the Chanel extravaganza which is being held in Manchester's Northern Quarter and will draw a star-studded global audience.

From today (7 December) the charity will be welcoming clothing donations to support the 7,400 homeless people living across Manchester. Lifeshare said it washosting this different kind of ‘collection’ from its offices, just a five-minute walk away from the Chanel catwalk, to help shed a light on the homelessness crisis while the world was watching. The charity has revealed demand for its clothing services has risen 158% in the past year.

Lifeshare is promoting a different kind of 'collection'

Maxine Peake said of the initiative: “As a long-time supporter of Lifeshare, I’m well aware of the important work they do in supporting Manchester’s homeless community, especially throughout the winter months which are particularly difficult for those that can’t afford to buy clothes – let alone high fashion.

“I’m proud to have donated practical items like jackets and new underwear, and would encourage anyone else planning to visit the Northern Quarter over the coming days do the same, to help us redefine street fashion and tackle clothing poverty.” 

Judith Vickers, Operations Manager at Lifeshare, added: “At least one in 74 people in Manchester are homeless, and we’ve been experiencing unprecedented levels of demand for our services as the temperature has dropped. In the past year alone, we’ve seen demand for clothes rise by 158%. 

“The eyes of the world are on Manchester as Chanel comes to town, so what better time to showcase the generosity, resilience and fashion that the people of this city have to offer? We look forward to working with the people of Manchester and beyond to help provide support for those who need it most." 

Clothing collections will be taking place at Lifeshare’s office at 27 Houldsworth St in Manchester’s Northern Quarter on 7 and 12 December. All contributions are welcome, with the charity calling for joggers, combats, leggings, new underwear and sleeping bags in particular. 

Those unable to attend are encouraged to visit the Lifeshare website, where they can support in other ways including monetary donations and volunteering.  

Chanel's Métiers D'Art show takes place in a different global city every year. The collection is designed to showcase the work of the artisans in the Chanel group of companies (including milliner Maison Michel and lingerie and swim brand Eres), which the luxury French house began acquiring in the 1980s in a bid to preserve its manufacturing edge and know-how.

It was revealed that the show would be coming to Manchester, the historic home of the UK's textiles industry, in July. Its return to the UK co-incides with Chanel strengthening its ties here.

Chanel established its HQ in London in 2018 and recently announced it plans to double the size of its premises in Mayfair, committing to the UK capital for a further 20 years. Meanwhile a major exhibition, currently on at the V&A in London, celebrates the work of Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel. Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto runs at the museum until 25 February.